The Bridemaid Dresses...

After looking all over for a modest bridesmaid dress that we would all like, we have decided to make our bridesmaid dress.  This is the color that Jordan and Caleb have chosen! 

We found a very nice pattern and set to work on it.  We have the first dress almost done, and the second one started.  So far, it's going well.

What little brothers do with the left-over fabric...there's never a dull moment!

He,he,he!

 

A Very Happy Thanksgiving

Our family had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. 

It was a relaxed, laid back day spent with loved ones, but it was a little bittersweet knowing it would be Jordan's last Thanksgiving with us.  But it made us all the more thankful to have everyone together and have her with us!

So we made a traditional Thanksgiving meal: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberries, rolls, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and did I mention mashed potatoes and gravy?  Hmm-hmmm good!

After the meal, we started up a game of Euchre.  It is our family's favorite card game, and we had just enough to start a Euchre tournament! 

While Jordan was enjoying her last Thanksgiving with us, Clancy was experiencing his first!

(As promised, a picture with his new haircut....) 

And every year, on the day after Thanksgiving, we go pick out a Christmas tree!

How about this one?!?

(Just kidding!)

After picking out our tree, we go for a wagon ride around the farm...

On the way home with our tree.... 

Decorated!

Although you can't really see the lights that well, there are quite a few on there!

Ethan's 13th Birthday!

On November 27th, Ethan turned 13!!!

Ethan is so much fun to be around.  He never runs out of ideas and he always keeps us laughing!  He is full of energy and can do just about anything he sets his mind to do.  He's stronger than his older sisters and he loves it!  He is a willing helper and he loves to organize things.  He enjoys talking to people and he's never afraid to take on new challenges.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

-Philippians 4:13

Ethan is becoming a man who is dependable and wise.  He is a strong, natural born leader who takes initiative.  Ethan is a problem solver and can usually find a better way to do things.  He is a fast learner and very resourceful!  

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

-2 Timothy 3:16-17

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

-Philippians 3:12-14

We love you Ethan and pray that you will become a strong man of God!  May you always follow His will for your life.  Love you little brother!  Hope you had a wonderful birthday!

Love,

Dad, Mom, Jordan, Kelsey, Savannah and Noah

Gospel Centered Marriages Conference 2011

At the end of October, we had the privelige to attend the NCFIC conference up in North Carolina.  This year the topic was all about marriage.  This was the conference that we met the Yuck family at last year, so it was special for Jordan and Caleb to go back to the same place where they met! 

Ethan...

When we arrived at the conference center, we knew that the Yuck family had already checked in and we knew the building that they were staying in, so someone (???) decided that we should go find them! 

And find them we did!  It was like watching an old movie. 

He was running downhill to meet her, and she was running uphill to meet him...

(can't you just hear the music playing in the background?)

...ahhh....absence makes the heart grow fonder.

(If only I had the camera turned to video...sigh)

What a happy, lovestruck couple!

Chatting with the whole Yuck family! 

Oh, what a sweet family our Jordan is marrying into!

She thinks so too!

Noah...

We actually arrived a day early at the conference and stayed a day later so that Jordan and Caleb could have as much time as possible together.  So,... what's one of the things you do when you finally get everyone together???  You go shopping, and shopping, and shopping and, we'll you get the idea!  I believe we stopped at every Wal-Mart within a twenty mile radius of the conference.  There was shopping for the wedding that had to be done while all of us girls were present, so you just gotta do what you gotta do!

Outside of Wal-Mart...

(The Yuck family was particularly drawn to this statue and although we can't quite put our finger on it, we believe that it just made them feel quite at home...chuckle, chuckle!)

Caleb and Jordan

All of us!

I love this picture because it is the first picture that all of us are in!

(Thank you Finnicum family for taking our picture!)

While packing for the conference, Jordan decided to ask Caleb what he was wearing, so that she could pack accordingly.  For most of the conference, they matched pretty well!

Chaperoning!

Bethany...

Mom and Ms. Debbie...

(This is another of my favorite pictures!)

We all had a wonderful time at the conference.  The speakers (Paul Washer, Doug Phillips, Scott Brown, Kevin Swanson, just to name a few) presented some very good messages.  We bougt the MP3 discs of the conference and are looking forward to hearing the ones that we weren't able to sit in on!  It was nice to be able to catch up with old friends and meet new ones also!  It is always so refreshing to attend the conferences and meet other like-minded families!  We feel blessed to have been able to attend this year's conference.  Next year's topic is missions

 

and hopefully we'll be able to attend next year's also.